"Continuing to go through the process with Tony," Cowboys coach Jason Garrett told reporters Thursday. "Just see how he feels every day waking up and evaluate him and treat him and see how he responds to it as much as anything else."

Romo did not take part in Thursday's practice, but Garrett said the team has no "hard and fast rules" in terms of practice participation and availability on game day.

"Certainly you want your quarterback to practice at some point during the week," he said. "Tony's obviously played a lot of football for us so you would give him more leeway than most. But more than anything else it's just a health issue and see how he's feeling."

The insinuation is clear: Romo doesn't have to practice this week to play Sunday. This still has the feel of a pipe dream, but the denizens of Jerrah World haven't given up hope.